Despite this, little research exists to demonstrate the efficacy of interventions and value of the occupational therapy role. Occupational therapists, with their focus on remedial and compensatory strategies to improve function and participation, are well suited to assess and intervene with this population. As a result, survivors are living longer with and beyond cancer, often with greater levels of morbidity. There is a need for further documentation of the effectiveness, role, and contributions of occupational therapy in the treatment of overweight and obese adults in all settings.Īdvances in cancer treatment over the last decade have led to increased survival rates. Occupational therapists contributed to the outcomes with a holistic approach, educating on the role of activity, providing technological support, and promoting enjoyment of being active. The interventions with involvement of occupational therapists were suggested to help short-term weight loss. However, the studies possessed high heterogeneity and showed insufficient explication of the role and contribution of occupational therapy to the outcomes. Several studies showed significant weight loss.
Thirteen articles reporting on eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. Conclusions were based on numerical and narrative analysis. The scoping review methodology of Arksey and O'Malley was used. The scoping review aimed at examining the evidence on interventions involving occupational therapists in the treatment of adults with overweight and obesity.ĭata on interventions involving occupational therapists and reporting on lifestyle-related outcomes in overweight and obese adults was extracted from the databases Cochrane, PubMed, CINAHL, and Embase, including hand and reference search. The effectiveness of occupational therapy in overweight and obese adults has not yet been clarified.